Readings: Wisdom 3:1-9, Ps. 23, Romans 5:5-11, Mark 15:33-39, 16:1-6
“But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and no torment will ever touch them. In the eyes of the foolish, they seemed to have died, and their departure was thought to be a disaster, and their going from us to be their destruction, but they are at peace.” (Wisdom 3:1-3)
Our celebration today is the sequel to yesterday. While we celebrated the saints in heaven (known and unknown) yesterday, today is set aside to pray for all the dead. Why all the dead? We pray for every single departed soul today because first, we know that death is not the end of our existence, and secondly, if the departed souls are in purgatory, our prayers today would go a long way to shorten their time of purgation, that is, final purification before they can enter heaven.
- At the death of a person, there is usually grief and sadness, especially from his close friends and family members, but no sooner have the tears dried up than the person is completely forgotten! It is as though they never existed. Nothing can be more painful than knowing that a time will come when no living person will remember you anymore. Thank God the Church set aside this day for the living to remember the dead.
- Remembering the dead has great benefits. By honouring their memories, we are reminded of our mortality. There is no teacher like the grave. Visit the grave to gain wisdom, learn humility, despise vanities, know the value of time, and much more. Look at the tombs of those you knew who reigned on earth but now sleep in the grave. The graveyard is always silent, but even this silence speaks volumes.
The second benefit of remembering the dead is praying for them. Today is not a day of tears. Rather, it is a day for prayers. Do the dead need our prayers? Yes, they do! The dead need our prayers because there is something within every human person that never dies. A dead person cannot eat food or spend money; they cannot appreciate expensive coffins, flowers, or beautifully adorned mausoleums. The only thing they hunger for is our prayers.
- As St. Paul explains in today’s Second Reading, we are celebrating hope – that it is not yet over for the dead. I hope that one day when we depart, there will be people around here praying for us. Meanwhile, let us strive to live according to the beatitudes Jesus gave us in today’s Gospel passage. Remember that if we are virtuous, our souls will always be secure in God’s hands. The Book of Wisdom teaches us this in today’s First Reading.
Let us pray: Almighty, ever-living God, as we remember the dead today, may the manner of our lives find favour in your sight. We ask this through Our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. May God’s abundant blessings be upon us all. (All Souls. Bible Study: Wisdom 3:1-9, Ps. 23, Romans 5:5-11, Mark 15:33-39,16:1-6).
@Rev. Fr. Evaristus E. Abu